This application is related to application Ser. No. 07/901,225, filed on even date, and based on German Patent Application P 41 20 382.8; and application Ser. No. 07/901,595 filed on even date, and based on German Patent Application P 41 20 379.8.
The present invention relates to a locking arrangement between an ignition lock and the selector lever of an automatic motor vehicle transmission. The selector lever is held pivotally into various positions in a housing and is lockable in a parking position via a locking pin which engages in a recess of a gate and can be manually displaced via a button. The locking pin has a locking slide which, by way of a flexible linkage, interacts in such a manner with the ignition lock that the ignition key can be pulled out only in the inoperative position of the ignition lock when the selector lever is in the parking position and the button is not operated, with the locking slide preventing the displacement of the locking pin. The selector lever is locked in the parking position until the ignition key has been rotated in the direction of a first operative position whereby the locking slide releases the locking pin.
European Patent Document EP-0 315 174 A1 shows a locking arrangement of the above-mentioned type in which a button, that is to be operated manually, is arranged on a selector lever that can be swivelled into various positions. A slidable locking pin is coupled with this button which engages in recesses of a gate and in the process fixes the selector lever in a parking position when the button is not operated.
During the swivelling with the operated button into the parking position, the locking pin engages in a sliding piece which, when the button is released, is displaced by means of the locking pin.
By way of a flexible linkage, an ignition lock acts on the sliding piece by means of a locking slide which is disposed on the selector-lever-side. Thus, only when the selector lever is fixed in the parking position can the ignition lock be rotated into a position permitting the pulling-out of the ignition key, in which case the locking slide is displaced into a position locking the sliding piece. The selector lever is locked in this position until the ignition key has rotated the ignition lock into an operative position and a brake pedal has been actuated, whereby a pressure spring supported in the selector lever housing displaces the locking slide into a position releasing the sliding piece.
It is an object of the invention to provide a locking arrangement between an ignition lock and the selector lever of an automatic motor vehicle transmission which ensures a secure locking of the selector lever in a parking position while the ignition lock is rotated into the inoperative position.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides a locking arrangement between an ignition lock and the selector lever of an automatic motor vehicle transmission. The locking arrangement has a housing in which the selector lever is held pivotally in various positions in a housing. A locking pin engages in a recess of a gate and is manually displaceable by a button, the locking pin locking the selector lever in a parking position via the engagement of the locking pin in the recess of the gate. A flexible linkage is connected to the ignition lock. A locking slide with a control ramp interacts via the flexible linkage in such a manner with the ignition lock that an ignition key can be pulled out of the ignition lock only in an inoperative position of the ignition lock when the selector lever is in the parking position and the button is not operated. The locking slide prevents the displacement of the locking pin, and locks the selector lever in the parking position until the ignition key has been rotated in a direction of a first operative position whereby the locking slide releases the locking pin. A displaceable locking bolt is arranged in the housing. The control ramp and the locking bolt are arranged such that when the selector lever is locked in the parking position, the locking bolt is displaced by the control ramp into a position fixing the locking pin.
The locking slide has a control ramp which, for the locking of the selector lever, shifts a locking bolt, which is slidably disposed in the housing, into a position which fixes the locking pin on the selector lever. As a result, the button cannot be pushed, and the selector lever cannot leave the locked position.
Advantageously, this arrangement has a secure coupling between the ignition lock and the selector lever. As long as the selector lever is not in a parking position, its button can be operated in an unhindered manner, and the ignition lock cannot be rotated into the inoperative position. After the swivelling of the selector lever with the pushed button into the parking position, the ignition lock can be rotated in the direction of the inoperative position, but does not reach it because the locking bolt collides with the locking pin. It is only after the button is released that the inoperative position can be reached, whereby the control ramp shifts the locking bolt into the position fixing the locking pin.
In another embodiment of the invention, in the parking position, the operation of the button is sensed by a locking bow locking the locking slide. As a result, it is prevented that, for example, in the case of right-side steered motor vehicles, by means of one hand, the selector lever is held in the parking position when the button is operated, while, with the other hand, the ignition lock is held by means of the ignition key in a position between a first operating position and the inoperative position. In this case, it would be possible to swivel the selector lever into a driving position and then pull-out the ignition key. However, the locking bow will not release the locking slide until after the button has been released.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.